Tucked away in Victoria’s cool-climate Macedon Ranges, Curly Flat has made quite a name for itself with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. At the helm is French-born winemaker Romaric Bertholle, working with estate-grown fruit and a Burgundian sensibility to bring out the best of each vintage. Serious wines, certainly. But no need to be too serious about it.

"2026 was a challenging vintage for us—one of the coldest in our history. It was definitely a year that favoured Chardonnay over Pinot Noir, and all of our Chardonnay barrels are looking amazing.
We also bought a 1,200L foudre, and the wine inside is looking exceptional. I’m very excited about it — perhaps a potential reserve Chardonnay in the making…" — Romi 

"White Pinot is the name we’ve given to our “rosé” at Curly Flat. Rosé is probably one of the most underrated styles of wine out there, and often one of the best-value bottles you can find. Part of the beauty is just how varied it can be. Different grapes, different colours, different methods — from direct press and saignée to maceration or a combination of techniques. The result can be savoury, fruity or somewhere in between, but it should always be refreshing.

For me, rosé is my go-to in spring and summer — sitting on a terrace in the sunshine, ideally with some tapenade and anchoïade. Very simple, and very difficult to complain about.

Our White Pinot is always made from Pinot Noir grown here at Curly Flat, but how we make it can change with the vintage. We might use saignée, direct press, maceration or a combination of all three, with fermentation split between old oak and stainless steel. The aim is a wine that’s fruity, savoury and serious all at once.

We like to make serious wines without being too serious — and White Pinot is always a fun one to make."

“I remember having lunch with my wife at Carlton Wine Bar a couple of years ago. When I look at a wine list, I often check the first price point in each category. These are sometimes the least-known wines, but also where you can find the most surprising bottles — Muscadet des Deux-Sèvres, wines from Savoie, Georgia, Greece, and so on.

I had tasted Furmint from Tokaji many times before, but when I saw this one was made in a dry style, I really wanted to try it. I didn’t even realise dry Furmint was a thing. And it was amazing.

If you like acidity and Chablis-style wines—fresh, refreshing and full of citrus and mineral notes — this wine is made for you. Basically, if acidity makes you happy, we should probably be friends."

"My last pick is the 2024 Riesling from Lethbridge. I know Ray and Maree very well, and they are two of the most genuine, gentle and smart people I know in the district. I think people don’t know enough about the Geelong GI, but there are some amazing wines being made there, and Lethbridge is one of the best representations of the region.

Lethbridge wines are offbeat — sometimes more traditional, but often more progressive. Their winemaking comes straight from their imagination, tasting after tasting.

If you visit their winery in Lethbridge, you’ll find oak vessels of all different sizes, large foudres with a perpetual reserve, amphorae, stainless steel tanks and all sorts of other vessels. It really is a cabinet of curiosity, with many different grape varieties being explored.

What amazes me most is the attention to detail they give to every wine. Their 2024 Riesling is incredibly refreshing, with plenty of citrus and minerality. Together, these three wines would be my go-to pack for those longer days when spring starts to arrive. Coming from Champagne, acidity has always been an important part of what I look for in a wine!"